A user-input system includes a force-measuring device, a cover member, and an elastic circuit board substrate interposed between the force-measuring device and the cover member and mechanically coupled to the cover member and to the force-measuring device. The force-measuring device includes a strain-sensing element. The force-measuring device is mounted to and electrically connected to the elastic circuit board substrate. The cover member undergoes a primary mechanical deformation in response to forces imparted at the cover member. The elastic circuit board substrate transmits a portion of the primary mechanical deformation to the force-measuring device resulting in a concurrent secondary mechanical deformation of the force-measuring device. The strain-sensing element is configured to output voltage signals in accordance with a time-varying strain at the strain-sensing element resulting from the secondary mechanical deformation.

An operation switch 30 is a gaming machine operation button that receives operation inputs to a gaming machine 1, and comprises a base plate 50, an operation button unit 36, and a touch switch 31. The operation button unit 36 is supported by the base plate 50, and is used by a player to input a first operation. The touch switch 31 is provided around the outer periphery of the operation button unit 36, and is used by the player to input a second operation that is different from the first operation.

An interactive control unit is disclosed. The interactive control unit includes an interactive touchscreen display, an interface configured to couple the control unit to a surgical hub, a processor, and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores instructions executable by the processor to receive input commands from the interactive touchscreen display located inside a sterile field and transmit the input commands to the surgical hub to control devices coupled to the surgical hub located outside the sterile field.

Disclosed is a beacon for allowing a user to wirelessly manage software applications of a computing device and plurality of vehicle's sensors. The beacon includes a housing, a touch sensor to identify tap from the user, a bi-directional communication unit to wirelessly bi-directionally communicate with the computing device and the vehicle's sensors on receiving tap from the user, a memory unit to store plurality of modules and plurality of instructions, wherein each instruction corresponding to each tap and a processor coupled to the memory unit and configured in the housing to process the plurality of modules. The plurality of modules includes a computing device module opens the specific software application based upon specific number of taps received from the user; a vehicle sensor module operates a specific vehicle sensor based upon a specific number of taps receive from the user; and a vehicle sensor and computing device module opens the status of the vehicle sensor on the computing device depending upon the specific number of taps received from the user.

An electronic device that includes a first switch, a second switch, a capacitive sensing circuit, and control circuitry. The first switch is electrically coupled between a first terminal of a load and a first terminal for a power source. The second switch is electrically coupled between a second terminal of the load and a second terminal for a power source. The control circuitry is configured to perform operations including connecting the load to the first and second power source terminals by controlling the first and second switches to close during a first portion of a switching cycle, disconnecting the load from the first and second power source terminals by controlling the first and second switches to open during a second portion of the switching cycle, and detecting the capacitance of the load based on the output signal of the capacitive sensing circuit during the second portion of the switching cycle.

A touch panel according to the embodiment includes a substrate including an effective area and a dummy area surrounding the effective area; a transparent electrode on the substrate; and an outer dummy layer on the dummy area, wherein the outer dummy layer comprises a piezoelectric material.

An operating device for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of proximity sensors for detecting contactless actuation. The operating device extends in a first plane and the sensors are disposed in that plane, separated from one another and oriented with their detection regions in the same spatial direction. A control and evaluation device is coupled to the sensors for detection of signals from each of the sensors. The sensors are covered with at least one electrically insulating plastic cover and, thus, separated from the detection region. At least one electrically conductive separating device is disposed between the sensors and oriented toward the side facing the detection regions, and directly adjacent to the plastic cover.

A vehicle input knob assembly is provided that includes a stationary knob located in a vehicle and having an outer peripheral surface with a plurality of radial extending surfaces such as ribs and a plurality of proximity sensors located proximate to the knob to detect a user rotating a hand around the knob. The assembly also includes a controller generating a control signal based on the detected rotation of the hand. The knob may further include proximity sensors on a front surface for added user input.

A wireless earphone comprises a transceiver circuit for receiving streaming audio from a data source over a local ad hoc wireless network. When the data source and the earphone are out of range, they transition automatically to an infrastructure wireless network. If there is no common infrastructure wireless network for both the data source and the speakerphone set, the earphone connects to a host server via an available wireless network.

A capacitive keyboard that can detect a key that has been depressed and the depressed amount thereof with high accuracy is provided. The capacitive keyboard includes a drive circuit 11 that alternatively switches the voltage of each of drive lines M from an L-level to an H-level, a sensing circuit 12 that detects the voltage generated in each of sensing lines N, and a control circuit 15 that detects, on the basis of the voltage value detected by the sensing circuit 12, the key that has been operated and the operation amount of the operated key. The sensing circuit 12 includes a peak hold circuit 32 that holds the peak value of the voltage that is input from a sensing line N over a predetermined period and an A/D conversion circuit 33 that converts the voltage held by the peak hold circuit 32 into a multi-stage digital voltage value.